Automatic steering device for coupled vehicles



March 10. 1925. 1,529,630

H. w. JONKHOFF AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR COUPLED VEHICLES Filed June 19 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 In V6/7f0r f7 WLfo/vkhoff March 10. 1925. 1,529,630

H. W. JONKHOFF AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR COUPLED VEHICLES Filed June 19 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 In reflro H Wink/70f? March 10. 1925. 1,529,630

H. w. JONKHOFF AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR COUPLED VEHICLES Filed June 19. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 10, 1925. 1,5Z9,53@

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRI WOUTER JONKI-I'OFF, OF SEMARANG. JAVA, DUTCH EAST INEDIESv AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE FOR COUPLED VEHICLES.

Application filed June 1 1923. Serial No. 616,423

To (177 vol/-01: 5/ may con/W11. YariOuS coupling rods in a same arm of :1 Be it known that I. Hnxni \VoUrrn JONK- circle when the train without. rails moves Hort, a subject of the (Queen of the Netherforwardly in curves. This is ohtaincd hr lands, residing at Semarang, Java. Dutch locating tangential points of different arce 5 East lndieSt have invented certain new and of a. circle iii the same point where the, art- 6" usefr-il Improvements in Autcunatic Steering held hy a epecially constructed cruilidinorod Dev-icee for Coupled vehicles, of which the e. g. between two trailers. The position of following is a specification. the common tangential point is determined As soon as the two Steeringdevireo of a by means of this couplingrod hy the direc- 16 trailer are being connectel t to adjacent Yetion of both trailer trucks without being 60 hitles front and back of the same, the lateral dependent on the distance between these forces which are exerted on the front uteertrucks mutually, which may vary owing to ing hufi'cr are automatically traneniitted in the ljmlitflS heino' i'eSilicnt: By constructopposite sense to the followiru one, wherein; namely the coupling rod at the same tinn- W at some sqiieeds nwjllht th n'fi occur. This: as a guidin means for for instance two cir- 7tt 1o ot, t ouhlesolne in other types where cularly hent. tubes. which are Qru'll sliiluhl only one steering inoveairei-it acts cxc luaively se ured to two oppoaitely disposed lraihr on the front wheels the rear huti er heiuo' trucks and which therefore are tangential fiXQCl in the longitudinal axia of the vehich: in this coupling rod it is ohtained that c.\'-

to For in this cac the pivotal point in the clusively the mutual longitudinal direction 75 coupling rod remains always stationary in of both trailer tracks can determine the lo the longitudinal axis of the preceding Vecation of the tangential point h-icle for the reason that the rear hutl'er Such a cturpling rod as a guide should, thereof does not move. As soon as hcovever however, not interfere with the other functhis pivotal point in the couplingrod is cetions of this coupling rod. These functiom 8O prived of its rigidity hy making, withdouhle are for instance hosed in the first place on a steering, the formerly stationary hu fl'er of difi'eren e in height of the coupled huti'ers the preceding vehicle also mmmhle, than of both vehicles, which arises at unevenat llOtH'fiiHfiClS ahove 7.5-9.5 kilometers or neRses in the road So that alao the vertical with a braking or counteraction of the tracshaft in the joint of the coupling rod should 8 tor this stability in the steering hufi'ers will be adapted to occupy more or lees horizontal be absent for which reason in fast running positions. By making the twnhcu sliding in train formations this double Steering up to the guiding round and by giving them at the present could not be put into practice either side at a predetermined point paral- Nevertheless the single steering with lel to the trailer truck a joint this ditiirulty longer tractor train formations in unsatiscan he met with. The guiding is herch factory in practice. Ry reason of the fact not hindered in its main function f r the namely that the front wheelsv only are reason that the round tuhe can also verticalsteered a certain cutting oil' in curves nl'iBeH ly turn in the round guiding. The ta ufor each trailer which is unavoidahly ingential point will he hrought herelriy t creased by each further train. \V-i'th a pora'rily at an other height without, howdouhle-acting steering device on trailers the ever, influencing the steering action of the action of the front wheels to the one side huti'ers. By the action of theee joints the gives, as already stated, through the connecradius of the arcs of a circle will he broken,

45 tion a reaction of the rear wheels to the the imaginary central point, however, from other side. which these arcs of circle. are traced and Owing to the unavoidable resiliency in the which will always he located in the direcsteeringdevices giving a retardation in tho tion of the lcuigitudinal axis of the corretransinission of the movements at a certain sponding trailer will move up and down 5tt speed, oscillations arise cauein; umlulations ahove or below this longitudinal axis.

in the train formation, which by want of Secondly the arc of a circle which is stabilization points increase at each followtraced from the pivot of the butter hy the ing vehicle. end of this butler will he e. in the joint The construction has namely for its ohofthe coupling rod another than that of the ject the fixation of the pivotal .pointa ot' the tuhes which have also their tangential point 11 in this coupling rod or guide, for the reason that the swinging buffers have their pivot in another point in the longitudinal axis of the trailer truck than the imaginary centre from where the arc of a circle of the tubular frame is traced. This difference, however, may be accommodated by making the tubular frame movable in the longitudinal axis of the corresponding trailer truck so that the imaginary centre of these tube-arcs of a circle can shift for accommodation of this difference in the longitudinal axis of the trailer truck, which movability is illustrated on the drawing by a sliding movement. At the same time this sliding movement should serve to make the spring action of the coupled buffers possibleas this spring action always causes the lengthening and shorten ing of the steering buffers so that the trailer trucks are always subjected to forward movement with respect to the tangential point in the doupling rod which movements by virtue of the sliding device can be made without difficulty by the circularly shaped tubes.

Further in curves when traction is exerted the buffer length will increase and with a pressure to the contrary will decrease owing to the spring action in the buffers. Hereby in curves a certain tension will arise in the uiding seeing that through the shortening by pressure the steering action of the buffers, which are held fast at one side in the tangential point, is proportionally increased and that through a lengthening by traction this steering action is to the contrary decreased in proportion to the buffer len th. This varying steering action of the bu ers, however, cannot transmit itself to the wheels because the joint of the coupling rod is held fast in the tangenial point of the two arcs of a circle, and therefore will be transformed into tension. This tension, however, will just be necessary at those moments by reason of the fact that when a pressure is exerted from the rear side 0. g. when descending inclines in curves, a lateral, with regard to the curve outward, pressure is exerted on the point of intersection, which pressure will then be accommodated by the inward tension caused by the relatively increased steering action of the shortened buffers. Correspondingly when traction is exerted from the rear side, for instance when ascending an incline in curves, the inward traction on the tangential point will be accommodated by the outward tension caused by the relatively decreased steering action of the lengthened buffers.

The drawings may illustrate the above with an example so that the practical ap plication of the invention may also appear.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of two trailer trucks 1 and 2 in a curve, both provided with a steering buffer 3 and withconneo tions as already described formerly. The steering buffers are as indicated in Figure 2 interconnected by a pivotal coupling rod 4: the joint 5 of which is held by a guide 6, which is always located in the tangential point of two circularly bent tubes 7 and 8 for the reason that the rollers 9 and 10 as well as the joint 5 have their spindle in the guide 6. The circular tubes 7 and S are in Figure 1 at the point 11 hinged to a frame 12, 13, 14 also consisting of a round tube which on its turn is freely slidable in the longitudinal direction of its trailer truck for the reason that it can slide in truck openings at 12 and 14 and further extends longitudinally of the trailer truck through guiding tubes 15 rigidly secured to the said truck, the length of these guiding tubes being such that the tubes have therein at either side at least as much clearance as corresponds to the maximum spring action of the buffers 3 in their bufier sleeves 16.

The centre of the arc of a circle of the tubes is located in a predetermined point in the longitudinal axis of the trailer but when traction is exerted on the buffer it can shift forwardly and when pressure is exerted on the buffer backwardly, but this point remains always located in the longitudinal axis of the trailer. The buffers to the contrary keep their pivot stationary in the point 17 (Figure 1), also disposed in the same longitudinal axis, the radius of their are 175 however, can be varied in length by an internal resiliency of the buffers, so that the pivots 17 in the trailer trucks can remove themselves more or less from the tangential point 5.

As already explained previously the buffer length 17-5 when a pressure is exerted from behind, for instance when descending inclines, will be shortened by the spring action without allowing the tangential point 5, the location of which is determined by the longitudinal direction of the trailers, to shift laterally. In such a case the buffer tends to change its direction as the same difference of direction with shortened bufl'er must be accommodated by a shorter radius. Consequently a lateral, with respect to the curve inward, pressure will act on the joint 5 which pressure can not realize any result as the joint 5 can not be removed from the tangential point of the circular tube on the guide 6.

As stated an opposite lateral outward force will act at the same time on point 5 as the pressure exerted on point 5 must always come from behind from the direction of the pushing buffer, which pushing force is always outward in curves. Point 5 will withstand these outward forces by means of the inward tension arising from the shortening of the spring buffer, as this inward tension is exerted at two sides (see- (ill mg that both butters are short mod) and in creases according as the butter springs at a higher pressure are more compressed. \Vith traction just the reverse takes place. By the lengthening of the hulfers the steering action from the intersecting point 5 on the wheels will decrease which gives rise to a tension in the guide outwardly. \Vhen to the contrary the butler length is increased point 5 will tend to deflect inwardly by the traction exerted in curves so that also here both forces contribute to the stabilization of the intersecting point 5 in the guide (3 under all circinnstances.

Figure 3 shows again a plan view of tho guide ti located in the. longitudinal axis of the coupling rod 4, which position is occupied when the trailer truclta l and :2 are in alignment. The tangential point 5 is here also visible, which point consists ot a vert cal shaft around which on the drawing a roller bearing is arranged serving to receive the eventual pressure exerted by the circulartubes 8 and 7,. This roller hearingas well as the ball bearings 9 and 1t), keeping the tubes pressed against the roller beating, has its vertical axis 5 in the guide (3 as appears more clearly from Figure 2.

Figure l shows a side elevation of a portion of both trailers and at the same time a section of the tangential point 5 in the coupling rod between both trailer trucks on a smooth ground, whereby the buffers are located at the same level. The vertical shaft 5 thus forms therefore the joint in the coupling rod. The points 11 are the joints in the circular tubes while the dotted line 15 indicates the guiding tube for the tubular frame 12, 13, 14, which guiding tubes are rigidly secured to the trailer truck.

Figure 5 shows by way of example a sec tion of a coupling rod adapted to fultil the purpose aimed at. The inclined position of the vertical shaft 5 in this embodiment is caused by unequal height positions of the buffers 3 due to unequal height positions of the connected trailer trucks on uneven roads.

The coupling rod is at its ends rotatable about the horizontal coupling pins 18, by means of which it is connected to the buffer mouths 3 and about which pins it can turn vertically. The centre distance of these pins remains therefore always stationary as the buffer mouths belong to the resilient portions of the buffers. In case therefore, due to this bulfer spring action, the vertical shaft 5 moves in the direction of one of the trailer trucks then both points 18 will also make this movement. In Figure 5 the two joint-halves of the coupling rod are further denoted by 19 and 9.0, 20 turning about the outer side of 19. The sections of the circular tubes in the guide are indicated by S and T. The filling 21 serves to fill up the space within the pivotal halves. the inner space leaving space around the pivot for permitting the guide (3 to turn about its haft Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention, I declare that What I claim is:

1. Automatic steering device for coupled vehicles e. g. four wheel trailers each pro vided with steering buffers and without common loading surface, characterized by the fact that the buffers are pivotally con nected to each other in a point located in the tangential point of two circularly shaped members, each slidably connected to a trailer truck in the longitudinal direction of the latter, the arcs of a circle being traced with constant radius from a centre slidahly dis posed in the longitudinal axis of each of the trucks, while the said tangential point is, at the Same time, when runnirm straight for- Ward the tangential point, or in curves, the intersecting point, of the arcs of a circle traced by the steering buffers from centres also disposed in the longitudinal axes of the trucks but is stationary, the radiuses of these arcs being variable by reason of the spring action of the butter.

2. Automatic steering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the butfers are connected to each other by a pivotal connecting rod the joint of which is held fast by a guide member always located in the tangential point of the two circularly bent slidable members, the ends of the piv otal connecting rods being connected to the resilient portion of the buffers so that the radiuses of the buffer circle arcs can be varied, While the centres of the circular members having a constant radius are adapted to shift along the longitudinal axes of the trailers without the hereby changed location of the tangential point influencing the steering device.

3. Automatic steering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the circular members are pivoted to the trucks of the trailers about a horizontal axis.

4. Automatic steering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the buffers are connected to each other by a pivotal connecting rod the joint of which is held fast by a guide member always located in the tangential point of the two circularly bent slidable members, the ends of the pivotal connecting rods being connected to the resilient portion of the buffers so that the radiuses of the buffer circle arcs can be varied, while the centres of the circular members having a constant radius are adapted to shift along the longitudinal axes of the trailers Without the hereby changed location of the tangential point influencing the steering device, characterized by the fact that the circular members are pivoted ltiil Ill) to the trucks of the trailers about a horizontal axis.

5. Automatic steering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the circular members each consist of a bent rod pivotally connected at both ends to a rod which is slidable in tubular guides longitudinally secured to the truck.

6. Automatic steering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the buffers are connected to each other by a pivotal connecting rod the joint of which is held fast by a guide member always located in the tangential point of the two circularly bent slidable members, the ends of the pivotal connecting rods being connected to the resilient portion of the buffers so that the radiuses of the buffer circle arcs may be varied, while the centres of the circular members having a constant radius are adapted to shift along the longitudinal axes of the trailers without the hereby changed location of the tangential point influencing the steering device, characterized by the fact that the circular members each consist of a bent rod pivotally connected at both ends to a rod which is slidable in tubular guides longitudinally secured to the truck.

7. Automatic steering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the circular members are pivoted to the trucks of the trailers about a horizontal axis, characterized by the fact that the circular membe-rs each consist of a bent rod pivotally connected at both ends to a rod which is slidable in tubular guides longitudinally secured to the truck.

8. Automatic steering device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the buffers are connected to each other by a pivotal connecting rod the joint of which is held fast by a guide member always located in the tangential point of the two circularly bent slidable members, the ends of the pivotal connecting rods being connected to the resilient portion of the buffers so that the radiuses ot' the buffer circle arcs can be varied, while the centres of the circular members having a constant radius are adapted to shift along the longitudinal axes of the trailers without the hereby changed location of the tangential point influencing the steering device, characterized by the fact that the guide member carrying the joint consists of a frame centrally turnable about a vertical pivot and carrying at the ends rollers bearing against circular members passing between these rollers and the vertical pivot, the parts of the connecting rod being on the one hand turnable about the pivot and on the other hand about horizontal coupling pins by means of which they are connected to the resilient portions of the buffers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRI WOUTER JONKHOFF. 

